The Sierra Foxtrot War on Christmas
by K.S. Reynard
Summary: Co-lab with Elarix. Fox plans to spend a quiet Christmas with his father and his hopeful fiancee Fara, but an unwanted guest has other ideas for the holidays. One thing is certain: this will not end well. A prequel tie-in to Sierra Foxtrot.
1. Part 1

**The Sierra Foxtrot War on Christmas**

 _a collaboration between K.S. Reynard and Elarix_

* * *

 _K.S. REYNARD'S AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

 _Hello, all. After weeks of work, delays, and twisted brainstorming, I am finally ready to unleash this beast of a Christmas story upon the Star Fox fanfiction archive. It was originally supposed to be a oneshot, but it didn't work out that way. Because it's much longer than that, I've decided to break it up into three parts, which will be published on consecutive days until it's all out there. I've got to admit that writing this as a collaborative effort was a lot harder than I anticipated; but was it worth it? Ooooh yes. Special thanks to Elarix for helping me put this thing together. Each of us contributed about 50/50 to this story, so it's got a (slightly) different feel compared to my other stuff. If it wasn't obvious enough, this one ties into my full-length_ Sierra Foxtrot, _but that story is definitely not required reading if you want to understand this._

 _Merry Christmas, everyone. Enjoy the story.  
_

* * *

The late afternoon sun neared the horizon as Fox and Fara pulled into James McCloud's recently shoveled driveway. The twenty-year-old, two story home that it belonged to had borne witness to much of Fox's childhood; and even though his mother had long since passed away, his father had no intention of selling the house. Due to his line of work as a roving mercenary contractor, the only residence that Fox kept was a small, two-bedroom apartment in downtown Corneria City – far from an ideal place to host a Christmas get-together. However, he had an entirely different reason for wanting to spend the holiday with his father.

As Fox parked Fara's car in his father's driveway and turned off the engine, he looked into Fara's green eyes and felt a spark of joy flare up inside of himself. Having dated her for nearly a year and worked alongside her in his mercenary unit for even longer, he felt that the time had come to ask her a question of particular importance. For a moment, he thought about the small box in his suitcase that contained a ring that he intended to place on Fara's finger before the end of Christmas Day. He had taken the precaution of wrapping his surprise gift in advance, but he knew that he still needed to keep it hidden from Fara for the time being.

With the car silenced, Fara looked at the house in front of them and commented, "You know, this place is nice and all, but I still don't see why didn't want to spend Christmas with my family at the Phoenix family manor. You could have invited your dad – it's not like my parents would have turned him down."

" _No. He would have turned_ them _down,"_ Fox thought, copping a naïve smile. More than anyone else, he knew that his father disliked Fara's family, claiming that 'their opulence could only be compared to their arrogance.' Part of his rationale for bringing Fara to visit with his father for Christmas was so the two of them could interact with each other without Fara's overbearing father and mother around. After all, Fox wanted to make sure that James and his future daughter-in-law could at least learn to like each other.

After pulling their suitcases out of the trunk, Fox and Fara walked up the narrow stone pathway to the front door. The landscaping around the house looked reasonable, but somewhat 'loose'. The path to the driveway had been hastily shoveled and sprinkled with salt, while the road in front of the mailbox remained piled with snow. Even under the blanket of white flakes, the occasional weed or blade of dried grass poked their heads up, and the shrubs in front of the porch were left untrimmed. Understandable, considering that James's line of work as a colonel in the Cornerian Army kept him too busy to pursue other trivial matters, such as having an immaculately manicured yard. Climbing the short set of steps to the door, Fox rang the doorbell and waited until he heard the faint sound of footsteps from inside the house.

A moment later, the door opened, revealing James. The middle-aged vulpine wore a fitted black sweater and jeans, but both Fox and Fara's eyes focus squarely on his aviator sunglasses that looked out of place indoors.

" _That's odd. I don't know why he'd wear those inside,"_ Fox mused. _"There's got to be some reason for that."_

His father gave him no time for further thought. Stepping onto the threshold, he peered through his sunglasses at Fara and greeted his guests. "Hi Fox – hi Fara. I'm glad you both could make it. I was afraid I was going to have to spend another Christmas alone."

Fara's expression dropped. "Is that normally how it goes for you?"

"Nah – usually if I don't have company, I'll invite Uncle Peppy over and we'll drink until the room spins," James laughed. "Although I'm going to have to be more careful about that in the future. Last year, he got so plastered that he thought my truck was a fighter jet and tried to take off in it. Man, I'm glad I stopped him before that happened. Son of a gun tried to drive off a bridge..."

The peeved look on Fara's face told him that she found his story more horrifying than humorous; and when he turned towards Fox, he noticed his son glaring at him with an expression that silently told him, _"You're not making a good impression on her, Dad."_

James sighed in a failed attempt at defusing the tension that had already begun creeping into the air. "Well, come on in. If you brought any presents with you, you can put them under the tree over there." He pointed into the living room to the right, where a modest Christmas tree stood in the corner. Fox noticed several old ornaments from his childhood hanging from its leaves and tried to avoid becoming emotional in front of Fara. Several of the decorations showed pictures of the McCloud family before Vixy Reinard's passing; and as much as he wanted to believe that he had gotten over her, he knew that he never would.

Instead, he turned towards his father and said, "Fara and I are going to put our bags in our room. When are we leaving for that Christmas concert you bought tickets for?"

James glanced at his watch and crossed his arms. "We'll leave in about twenty minutes. That should give us enough time to find our seats."

"That sounds great," Fara opined, shaking her tail. "I've been looking forward to this concert since last month."

"We'll have a great time," Fox agreed, although in his mind, a far different thought prevailed. _"I still don't understand why these people in 'high society' seem to_ like _going to these boring events, like visiting modern art exhibits and going to stuffy Christmas concerts. I can't believe I'm going to miss seeing Rage Against a Down for this."_

Fara handed her suitcase to Fox and began climbing the stairs to the second floor. Stopping for a moment, Fox gave his father a perplexed look and asked, "What's with the sunglasses indoors? I know you love them, but isn't that kind of rude?"

"I'll explain later," James replied. "I have my reasons for wearing them. Oh, by the way, I have something else to tell you."

Fox took a quick glance at Fara as she reached the top of the stairs, then looked back at his father. "What?"

The older vulpine uneasily scratched the back of his neck and explained, "I invited someone else over. She was going to be staying next door at Cassie McMahon's house, but I told her that she could sleep in the bonus room if she wanted to."

Fox's eyes widened in mixed horror and frustration. "What? I told you that I wanted to spend Christmas together – just the three of us!" He kept his voice down to prevent Fara from hearing him, but still managed to get his emotions through. "Who did you invite?"

"That's a surprise," James replied. "Don't worry, though – she won't cause any trouble. Well, maybe a little, but don't worry about it. We'll still have a relaxing family Christmas."

Fox scowled and turned away from his father, then climbed the stairs to the second floor. By this point, Fara had already walked into the bedroom where they planned to spend the next two nights. As Fox neared the guest bedroom at the top of the steps, he tried to mask his intense disapproval of his father's rash decision. He knew that Fara already disliked their holiday venue, and telling her about their unwanted guest would only aggravate her further.

With both of their suitcases in hand, he stepped into the room and placed them beside the queen-sized bed where Fara sat with her legs hanging off the side. He smiled at the vixen, then took a seat next to her. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he nuzzled into her and sighed. "I love you."

Fara turned her head and looked into his eyes. "You know what? I love you too." Then, she attacked his muzzle with her lips and tongue, begging for Fox to return the favor. Thrilled that the mere idea of having to spend two days in her future father-in-law's house had not killed off her joy of being around him, Fox kissed her back, oblivious to the set of footsteps climbing the stairs nearby. Fara moaned in ecstasy usually reserved for more intimate scenarios as Fox continued to dote on her. Then suddenly, he stopped when something appeared in his peripheral vision.

A tall vixen with blood red fur stood in the doorway, wearing a skin-tight black catsuit with red outlines and matching black boots. A playful – if somewhat devious – smile plastered her lips as she leaned against the door frame. The light from the window at the back of Fox and Fara's room reflected off of her shiny apparel, drawing even more attention to her bodacious figure.

Fox felt his heart sink. For a moment, he hated his father. He had suspected that he might have invited _her_ , but he thought his father would have had the sense to turn her away instead of allowing her to tarnish his private, intimate holiday with Fara. Fox knew the shapely vixen well, and he also knew that trouble followed her everywhere she went. Fara, on the other hand, knew nothing about her.

" _He invited_ Scarlet _? What was he thinking?"_ Fox screamed internally.

Even more alarmed than he was, Fara looked at him and demanded, "Who is this woman? And why the hell is she here right now?"

Fox patted his fiancée on the shoulder, but his tension made it seem more like a slap. "She's my cousin Scarlet. I-I honestly don't know why she's here right now."

"Actually, I'm his _third_ cousin," Scarlet corrected, destroying Fox's attempt to make it seem like her presence could have been explained by a closer family tie. "His dad invited me over. I'll be staying in the room next to you. Man, I'm so excited about this. Christmas this year is going to be awesome with you, Foxie!" With that, she turned her back on Fox and Fara and stepped into the bedroom next to theirs.

Dumbstruck, Fara glared at Fox and snarled, "Are you serious? Your dad _invited_ her to stay here? I can't believe this! Is he nuts?"

"Fara, I'm asking myself the same question," Fox groaned. "Don't worry – it'll be fine. At least she won't be going to the Christmas concert with us."

A mere second later, Scarlet's stepped back into the doorway. With a smile on her face, she sighed and cavalierly asked Fara, "I seem to have forgotten my dress for the concert tonight. Could I possibly borrow one of yours?"

" _Or not,"_ Fox thought.

Fara's eyes dilated in rage. "Absolutely not! Get your own! You didn't even pack a single dress in the massive suitcase I saw you take into your room? Is that all you wear, you skank?"

Scarlet's eyes narrowed, but her attitude remained unchanged. "If you must know, I'm very selective with who I share my 'assets' with. And yes – this is what I wear most of the time. I find these catsuits so much more enthralling than those boring clothes that are in vogue these days. I'm sure you'd think the same thing if you tried one on."

"Are you trying to get me to trade with you?" Fara scoffed.

"Pfft!" Scarlet spat, giving her luxuriant black hair a toss. "I'm just trying to do something nice for a stranger. It's that time of the year, you know. Christmas spirit and all that crap."

Fara's teeth poked out from her muzzle, and her oversized ears folded flat against her skull. "Well, that sucks for you, because I'm not letting you wear one of my custom-tailored designer dresses to the Christmas concert that you are _not invited to_. So, get out!"

"Fine!" Scarlet relented. "But I _am_ going to the concert. Mr. McCloud was kind enough to buy me a ticket, and I'd hate to see it go to waste. He won't leave without me, so unless you want to be late, you'd better help me find something to wear. Or, you could get back to making out with the door open so the whole house can hear you moan."

As Scarlet disappeared into the hallway, Fara pounded the mattress in rage and gave Fox the most evil look that he had seen from her since the time when a clumsy partygoer spilled cocktail sauce on one of her dresses. "Is this some kind of setup?" she demanded.

"I'm going to have to talk this over with my dad," Fox assured her. "Scarlet has to go."

"And not to the Christmas concert!" Fara added.

Standing up, Fox bit his lip and looked at his watch. "We need to leave in a few minutes. We'd better tell my dad that if he's not ready to go, we're going to drive separately."

"I almost want to go separately just to keep him from bringing that disgusting tramp with him."

"I'll make sure he knows what's on our minds," Fox replied. "Come on – let's go."

After walking down the stairs, Fox left Fara in the main entryway and searched for his father, who seemed to have suddenly disappeared. He called out his name several times; and then when that failed to create a response, he walked through a nearby hallway and opened the side door that led to the garage. Still nothing. Running his fingers through his headfur, he took a deep breath and walked back towards Fara. Then, he heard a rattling sound coming from somewhere nearby. He glanced at his watch and cursed under his breath when he saw the time. They needed to be leaving now to arrive at the concert in time to claim their seats without missing any of the performance.

He recognized the sound as coming from inside the master bedroom, located on the lower floor. Approaching the closed door that led to it, he shouted "Dad?" and pushed the door open at the same time. He burst into the room, prepared to find out what was taking James so long. However, once he realized what the cause of the holdup was, he rolled his eyes and sneered. In the space between the bed and the room's spacious closet, Scarlet stood next to James with a short, black dress in her hands, dressed only in her lace underwear with her catsuit in a ball at her feet. The vixen blushed when she saw Fox, then cracked a shameless smile. "Oh, hi Fox! Care to help me put this dress on?"

"I think you can handle that yourself," Fox deadpanned before his attention turned to his father. Without saying a word, he emphatically pointed to his watch and frowned.

James held up his hands. "I know, I know. Just give Scarlet a minute. We're almost ready to go."

"No, that's just it," Fox replied. "Fara and I don't want her to go with us."

"You two are no fun together," Scarlet huffed, pulling her dress on and fastening the two shoulder straps.

Walking towards Fox, James crossed his arms and explained, "Since I reserved the seats for you, me, and Fara a month ago, Scarlet isn't going to be sitting with us at the concert. Her seat is in a different part of the auditorium. She'll only be with us during the car ride."

Fox scratched the back of his neck. "Well, if she's going, Fara and I are going to drive separately. You can go with Scarlet."

A sheepish grin appeared on James's face. "I'm sorry to say this, Fox, but my car's been giving me trouble lately. Sometimes it'll start, and sometimes it won't. It's been getting worse lately, but I can't find anyone to fix it because everyone's closed for the holidays. Sorry, but we have to go with you."

Turning to the side, Fox clamped his hand over his face and lowered it. "Did you plan this all from the beginning?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," James asserted, scratching his nose. "I only invited Scarlet because the house next door was too full for her to stay in without sleeping on the floor. Besides, things are always more fun with her around." He placed his hand on Scarlet's shoulder and stroked it, prompting her to blow a kiss in his direction.

"Fara doesn't think she's fun to be around," Fox countered.

Even through his dark, tinted sunglasses, he could tell that a frustrated expression lurked behind James's lenses. "With all due respect, what _does_ Fara think is fun? Really – I want to know. I'm trying to make it nice for you two this Christmas."

For a moment, Fox's train of thought hit a penny on the rails and screamed off the tracks, smashing into a sheer cliff wall and exploding in a cataclysmic fireball of reality. As hard as he tried to recall what she found humorous, the only thing that came to mind were her cringe-worthy romantic comedies that he could barely stand to watch. Of course, Fara thought they were hysterical and demanded that he watch dozens of them with her. _"Maybe he has a point,"_ Fox thought. _"Maybe I… No! I don't care if he doesn't like Fara – I'm proposing to her this Christmas, even if it means that I have to tie Scarlet up outside to make sure she doesn't do something to ruin the moment! Then again, Scarlet might actually be into stuff like that..."_

"Come on, Fox! Let's go!" Scarlet cooed.

* * *

 _-_ § _-_

* * *

Staring at the ominous '5:04' on Fara's car clock, Fox grimaced and pulled into the parking lot in front of the enormous opera house where the Christmas concert had already begun. Filled to capacity, the asphalt expanse was heavy on cars but light on parking spaces, forcing Fox to park at the extreme outer fringe over a thousand feet from the building.

The instant he put the luxury car in park, Fara leaped out and grabbed her purse. James matched her in exiting the vehicle, but Scarlet had other ideas. Leisurely opening her door and making sure not to dent the car in the next space, she yawned and pushed herself out of the car, then leaned against it and stretched. In the process, she blocked Fox from passing her.

"Scarlet, come on! We're late!" Fox snapped, shoving her out of the way and chasing after Fara, who had all but broken into a sprint that was crippled by her two inch heels.

Scarlet frowned. "Fox, I'm not late for the concert – they're early for me. Lighten up a little. It's not like our seats are going to be gone when we get in there."

Ignoring the red vixen, Fox jogged to catch up with James and Fara, who actually understood the concept of punctuality. In a minute, the three reached the opera house's front doors and stepped inside. In the main atrium outside the concert hall, numerous opera house workers stood by. All of them wore matching black and white dress outfits, which made James happy that he had managed to find a dress for Scarlet to wear. As much as he disliked giving one of Vixy's favorite pieces to Scarlet, he felt that he had done the right thing. After all, Scarlet was practically a niece to him – although he never mentioned how he had come to know her apart from Fox.

After James presented their tickets at the front entrance, they searched for the stairs to the upper balcony where their seats were located. Half a minute later, Fara stopped and held her legs together. Fox noticed her discomfort and approached her. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he asked, "Are you alright?"

Fara shook her head. "I, um… I really need to powder my nose in the ladies' room. Go ahead and find the seats. I'll be up there in a minute." Then, she scanned the atrium for a 'restroom' sign and noticed one on the left side of the room. As she disappeared into the women's restroom, Scarlet opened the front door and stepped inside. Her knee-length boots looked somewhat out of place with her elegant dress, which was several inches too short due to her being four inches taller than Vixy. The opera house staff looked at her suspiciously, but said nothing as she joined Fox and James.

"The balcony is at the top of the staircase here," Fox stated, pointing to one of three staircases in the vast atrium. "Dad, where's Scarlet's seat?"

James pulled his tickets out of his pocket and squinted to read the tiny black print on them. "It says her seat is in section QQ, in the extreme back right of the balcony."

"Aw hell, like I'm sitting _there_ ," Scarlet scoffed, swatting the ticket out of James's hand. "Come on, Foxie – let's go. Hey, wait – where's your little pre-nup?"

Fox looked around the room and hoped that Fara would emerge from the restroom and rescue him from Scarlet's annoyance. "She had to go to the bathroom."

Scarlet smiled and shook her head. "I thought she would have done that before we left."

"I know, I know," Fox affirmed. "She's really excited about this concert, though. Maybe too excited, I guess."

After waiting for five more seconds, he gave up on waiting for Fara and climbed the stairs to the balcony. An elevated hallway curved around the backside of the auditorium, and three different sets of doors led into it. James held up his tickets again and commented, "Our seats are through the door in the middle. Scarlet, yours is through the one on the right."

"Thanks," Scarlet replied, disregarding James's instructions and following the two vulpines through the middle set of doors. Ahead of the other two, Fox entered the upper balcony and looked out at the vast expanse of seats. Somehow, he managed to spot the three empty chairs in the crowded section ahead of him. By some incredible fortune, the seats were positioned on the edge of the row, which meant that he and Fara would not have to sit next to anyone they did not know. Fox smiled at his luck, then looked over his shoulder and motioned for James to take the left of the three seats next to a magenta-furred vixen wearing a black turtleneck sweater.

James slid into the seat, leaving the second chair opened for Fox. As he fidgeted in the plush chair and made himself comfortable, Fox noticed Scarlet hovering over the seat on the edge of the row. "Scarlet, your seat is over there," he muttered, pointing to the back right part of the enormous balcony. Scarlet followed Fox's finger to a solitary empty seat at the top of the balcony, nestled so far into the corner that anyone over six feet in height would have bumped their head on the ceiling. She stared at the empty chair for a moment, then shook her head and dropped into the seat next to Fox.

As the sounds of 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland' filled the auditorium, Fox bumped Scarlet on the arm and growled, "What are you doing?"

"I'm sitting in this seat," Scarlet replied. "Now shut up – I can't enjoy this concert with you talking over the music. Dammit, where's the mosh pit? I don't see it anywhere."

"It's a Christmas concert, Scarlet. Are you seriously asking me that question?"

"Heck yeah I am. Any minute now, that stuffy orchestra will be getting off the stage to let some real musicians play. Right?"

"Scarlet, I don't think you realize what kind of Christmas concert this is."

"What? Are you telling me this isn't the Trans-Cornerian Orchestra?"

Fox cringed, but an exasperated smile broke through. "If it wasn't obvious enough, no."

Scarlet frowned and hunched over in her seat. "Seriously? Who would pay money to watch this crap for two hours?"

"Try three," Fox replied. "Believe me, I'm only here because of Fara. Personally, I can't stand this music."

"Wow," Scarlet cringed. "At least this chair is comfortable. Man, this fabric rocks. I need to have this sewn into my next catsuit."

Fox rolled his eyes, oblivious to his father initiating a quiet conversation with the magenta vixen next to him. Glancing to his right, he watched as Fara entered the auditorium and wandered towards him. As she neared Fox, she noticed Scarlet in her seat and clenched her fists, visibly shaking in rage. For all of three seconds, she tried to avoid making a scene in front of the audience, but that notion went out the window almost immediately.

"Get out of my seat!" she barked, leaning into Scarlet's personal space.

Scarlet returned a nonchalant expression. "Will you shut up? You're ruining the concert for me."

Fara placed her hands on her hips and flattened her ears. "Oh, excuse me! I'm sorry, but until you get out of my chair, I'm going to make sure you're miserable! And by the way, your seat is over _there._ " As Fox had done before, she pointed to the lone chair on the other side of the balcony, though with more emphasis.

"Hmm…let me think about that – no," Scarlet grinned. "Have fun over there."

Face flushed with rage, Fara leaned forward and tried to pull Scarlet out of her seat, but the tall vixen weighed more than she expected. Letting out a frustrated yip, she repeated, "Get out of my seat!"

"Tell me why I should," Scarlet purred, giving Fara an angelic expression that infuriated her even further.

"Because it's my seat!" Fara all but shouted above the noise of the Christmas music, now playing 'Frosty the Snowman.'

Scarlet shook her head. "If you look at the tickets, you'll see that there are no names assigned to any of the seats. All of them belong to Fox's dad. I have just as much right to this seat as you do."

"Alright, I'll tell you why you should get your disgusting tail out of my seat. My family's company makes half the weapons and vehicles for the Cornerian Army and makes over fifty billion credits a year doing it. I'm one of the top ten richest heiresses in the whole world. I could buy this auditorium if it was for sale."

"It's funny you say that," Scarlet commented. "I used to use your weapons for my mercenary work, but I eventually came to my senses and realized that they're overpriced pieces of crap that break the instant you drop them in water or sand. I get my guns from the Gaia Corporation now."

"Ooh, I can't stand you!" Fara yelled, clenching her fists and teeth. "You asked for it!"

Fara hooked her arm forward to punch Scarlet, but the larger vixen effortlessly deflected her attack and struck back with her claws extended. She had no intention of hurting Fara, but her retaliatory strike injured her in another way when her claws dug into her dress and ripped a small cut out of the fabric near the top of her ribcage.

Fara stepped back in shock, examining the damage to her dress with wide, horrified eyes. Looking back at Scarlet, she gasped, "Y…You tore my dress." She paused, allowing unadulterated hatred to filter across her face. "No one destroys my clothes and gets away with it!"

Scarlet's smile evaporated when Fara dove onto her and assaulted her with both fists. Not taking Fara's attack lying down, Scarlet retaliated and punched her in the muzzle. Both vixens flailed at each other in the seat next to Fox's. The vulpine wanted to do something to stop them from hurting each other, but he was too afraid of being hit himself to stop them. As he leaned over in his seat to avoid being punched, a burly rhino wearing the opera house's formal attire jogged down the steps leading from the balcony entry doors and stopped next to Fara and Scarlet. He stared at both vixens with anger seeping from his face. "You're interrupting the concert," he growled in the most guttural voice Fox had ever heard. "I'm afraid I'll have to show you the way out."

Fara stopped punching Scarlet and looked up at the rhino, oblivious to the fact that her muzzle was almost buried in Scarlet's breasts. "But…I've been waiting for this concert for over a month!" she panted.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but behavior like that will _not_ be tolerated in this establishment. Now, come with me. You too," he added, pointing to Scarlet.

Horrified and infuriated, Fara pushed herself up and dusted off her torn dress, then stepped onto the stairs in the middle of the aisle. Trying not to look as distraught as she was, she looked at Fox and motioned for him to follow her out. Fox nodded in response, all the while trying to avoid expressing his immense glee at being able to leave the concert early. As he stood up, he nudged his father and said, "We've got to go. Come on."

James looked at Fox, then turned his attention back to the magenta vixen next to him. The woman handed James a folded scrap of paper, which the vulpine stuffed into his pocket before standing up to follow Fox, Fara, and Scarlet out of the auditorium behind the rhino.

A minute later found the four standing outside the opera house, looking out at the sea of cars before them. The relative silence disappeared quickly as Fara turned to Scarlet. "What is your problem!?" she screamed, her ears pinned back.

"Hey, you punched me first," Scarlet nonchalantly replied. Somehow, her clothing had escaped the fray unscathed, unlike Fara's overly expensive dress which was now covered in claw-shaped tears.

Fara fumed, biting her lip to the point of bleeding. As the iron-tinged taste of blood entered her mouth, she snarled, "Good luck getting back to the house, because you're not coming with me, you bitch!"

Crossing her arms and looking wistfully off to the side, Scarlet pretended to be offended. "Hmph. Fine. Suit yourself."

While Scarlet continued to stare at the nearby city buildings in Corneria's downtown sector, Fara ordered Fox and James, "Come on – let's get out of here. It's not even Christmas and my holiday is already shot, thanks to _her_!" She took one parting glance at Scarlet, then led Fox and James towards her distant car. Without changing her posture, Scarlet watched the three foxes as they climbed into Fara's car and raced out of the parking lot, running the stop sign at the exit in the process. When the beige-colored luxury sedan disappeared behind a nearby building, Scarlet pumped her fist and thought, _"Yes! I did it! Now I can get to Cassie's party early to help her set it up!"_

Smiling from ear to ear, Scarlet pulled her smartphone out of her purse – which she never wore with her catsuits but wore with her dress because it had no pockets, and also because she hated the idea of hiding her phone in her bra – she opened her 'Liftcar' app and selected the nearest available 'Luxury class' driver in the area.


	2. Part 2

So far, Fox's special Christmas evening with Fara had taken a turn for the worst. He had already received his first strike by allowing Scarlet to come with them to the concert, but now he was prepared to come back swinging for the grand slam.

If there was one benefit to being a widower, it was acquiring mad cooking skills. Being alone forced James to learn how to cook for himself, and over the years he had become quite skilled in culinary arts. It was for this very reason that he had insisted on preparing a meal for Fox and Fara, sparing them the trouble of having to come early to cook or purchase one themselves.

After Scarlet hitched a ride to her friend's house and Fara, Fox, and James returned home, the latter left for the store to do some very last-minute Christmas shopping after he had finished preparing dinner for Fox and Fara. Whatever it was that he planned to buy, he wouldn't tell Fox, preferring to keep it a secret.

As recompense for what had happened earlier in the evening, Fox seated Fara at the table while he finished with the preparations. Disappearing into the kitchen, he heated up the different dishes his father had left for him using either the microwave, oven, or stove top, and brought them out one-by-one to set before Fara. He felt like a pagan trying to placate an angry god with a sacrificial feast, but as long as it put Fara into a better mood, he would do anything. Stuffing, potatoes, casserole, cranberry sauce — he piled on the works, all of which he had planned out before-hand with his father. But he saved the best for last.

Grinning from ear-to-ear, Fox stepped out of the kitchen carrying his ace in the hole: a roasted goose, prepared in Fara's favorite way. He carefully set the cooked poultry in front of Fara, but the fennec kept her head pointed away from him, continuing to give him the cold shoulder. Hopefully, the dinner would remedy this.

Fox slid the goose closer to Fara, removing his oven mitts and using them to fan the bird's savory smell towards his mate. "Faaaara," he began in a sing-song voice, "Look what I've got for you: your favorite!"

Still looking outside the dark window, Fara's nose suddenly twitched, catching a whiff of the poultry. Finally, the scent overpowered her stubborn resolve, and she looked at the meal in front of her.

"Is that... is that goose?"

"Uh-huh," Fox affirmed.

"Honey roasted? With orange sauce?"

He nodded. "Just the way you like it. I know you only have the chance to eat it once a year, so..."

As her eyes greedily took in the meal Fox and his father had made for her, Fara couldn't help but let on a smile. At the sight of her expression, Fox mentally pumped his fist in victory.

"Well... I guess I can't let all of this wonderful food go to waste, now can I?" Fara hummed, tentatively fingering her silver fork.

"Allow me," Fox interjected as he began slicing the sauce-covered poultry for Fara, who in turn started heaping mounds of stuffing and casserole onto her plate. Once he had finished serving her, the vulpine returned to his side of the table where he sat down and set to filling his own dish. He sighed in satisfaction as the evening once again began coming together. With James and Scarlet gone, it was just the two of them alone in the big house. Outside, the air was frigid and dark, but the two foxes were protected by the house's thick walls and burning fireplace that lit up the family room adjacent to the dining room, not too far from where they now sat. The fire crackled in the brick hearth, letting out a loud 'pop' every once in a while, but for the most part remaining quiet and serene. Though a decorative gold chandelier hung above the table, Fox chose to keep it unlit, instead opting for two candles on the comfy table, giving the dining room more of a romantic setting. The meal Fox had planned with his father had turned out delicious, and Fara's lingering anger proved no match for the splendid food. With the cold wind blowing outside, a warm fire lit within, candles to illuminate the room, and a wonderful dinner before them, the couple's Christmas Eve appeared to be back on track again.

Fara's ear twitched. She frowned. "Fox... what's that?"

Fox paused, a spoonful of mashed potatoes halfway in his mouth. "What's what?"

"That noise," Fara continued. "It sounds like it's coming from outside, down the street."

" _Oh no, the party. Dammit, Scarlet!"_ Fox cursed to himself. His face turned white as a sheet, but thankfully his golden fur hid the abrupt change in color. Instead, he tried playing it cool.

"Hmm... I don't hear anything. Maybe you're just imagining it."

As if on cue, a vocalist suddenly screamed, _"Jump!"_ which was immediately followed by a pounding guitar riff and an unforgiving drum beat. Inexplicably, the obnoxiously loud song managed to carry down the street and through the walls of the McCloud residence, rudely interrupting the couple's intimate dinner.

"All right, you _have_ to hear it now, Fox! It sounds like... like alternative metal. That's System of a Machine, isn't it?"

Fox lowered his head in shame, avoiding Fara's eyes. "Rage Against a Down, actually," he mumbled.

Fara was furious. "What business do they have blaring a song like that at this hour of the night? And on Christmas Eve, of all days! The least they could have done was play "Jingle Bells" or "Silent Night" instead! And that's exactly what I want to have; a nice, quiet night alone!"

Fox's ears flattened against the side of his head as he felt an icy, sinking feeling in his gut. Apparently, he had thought too soon that the rest of the evening would go his way.

"Honestly, this wouldn't have happened if we had stayed at _my_ family's house!" Fara huffed, continuing her tirade. "There have to be residency laws against this. Fox, call the police! Chances are, they're probably smoking something over there anyway — and I have a feeling it's not mistletoe!"

Her partner raised his hands, defensively. "I understand, Fara; but it is a Christmas party, and they're just celebrating. It's not _too_ loud, right?"

Fara pointed to the hanging lights above their heads. "Fox, the chandelier is shaking, and their house is behind _a quarter mile of woods!_ Are you going to do something about them or not?"

Once again eager to placate his mate, Fox stood up and motioned with his hands to help Fara remain calm. "Alright, honey; I'll go over there and ask them to keep it down. I'm sure they'll understand. I want a peaceful night alone with you as well."

Noticing Fox's willingness to help, Fara's expression suddenly softened. She rubbed her face and eyes with her hands. "Look, I'm sorry for blowing up like this, Fox; I know it's not your fault. But I'm sure a little peace and quiet would set the cozy atmosphere and help us out... later tonight, that is."

Leaning on the back of his chair, Fox repeated, "Later tonight?"

Fara grinned, mischievously.

Fox raised his paw. "Say no more! I'm off!"

And with that, the vulpine raced to the front of the house and grabbed his coat. By the time he was out the door, he had only halfway placed it around his torso. "Don't get started without me!" he called back.

Fara couldn't help laughing. "Fox, we haven't even finished dinner yet!" But it was too late; her mate had already slammed the door and rushed down the thin stone sidewalk.

* * *

 _-_ § _-_

* * *

Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Fox meekly knocked on the door. Apparently, his first attempt went unnoticed; the music continued to blare from whatever military-grade speakers they emanated from, drowning out his noise. Working up his resolve, Fox dared to knock louder, until he was practically pounding on the wooden door. _"Please don't be Scarlet, please don't be Scarlet, please don't be— dammit!"_

The door opened to reveal a familiar red vixen clad in a shiny catsuit. Unlike the rest of her similar wardrobe, the outfit appeared more gaudy — it was colored a bright shade of purple and had several strategically-placed holes in the arms, legs, chest, and back, all of which revealed the woman's sleek red fur.

At the sight of Fox, Scarlet's face lit up. "Foxie! I thought you'd never come!"

Eager to get on with his mission, Fox said, "Yeah, well, here I am. Listen, Scarlet, I came over to—"

But Scarlet interrupted him, pointing upwards. "Look, Fox: mistletoe! You know what that means?"

Fox glanced at the decorative foliage hanging beneath the door mantel. "Actually Scarlet, that appears to be a marijuana leaf—"

Silencing him once again, Scarlet grabbed Fox's tie and pulled him in for a big, wet kiss. Fox prayed to God that Fara wouldn't show up behind him, and his instincts screamed at him to pull away. But for some reason he lingered... in fact, by the time the intimate moment was broken, it was Scarlet who had pulled away — not Fox.

Without giving him a moment to breathe, Scarlet grabbed his arm and jerked him inside the house. "Come on, Fox. You're holding up the party!"

In a flash, Fox was pulled out of the freezing winter air and into the heated house, the door — his only escape — slamming closed behind him. As he began to protest his treatment, Scarlet unzipped his coat and slipped it off his shoulders, tossing it on a pile in the closet.

Brushing off his suit with lingering hands, she clucked, "Well, you are rather over-dressed for the occasion, but we'll fix that by the end of the night."

"End of the night?" Fox repeated, questioningly. "Scarlet, I don't plan on staying here that long. What am I saying — I never planned on staying here at all!"

"Don't worry; the best plans are those left unmade. Come on, there's someone I want you to meet. She's a great friend of mine, and a mercenary like ourselves. You'll love her; she's a lot of fun!"

Gesturing for Fox to follow, the vixen weaved herself through the myriad of party-goers in search of her illusive friend. With no other choice but to pursue her, Fox waded into the crowd as well.

The interior of the house was done in a rustic style, though it still appeared to be quite comfortable, with modern day appliances hidden in handy locations. A bar was placed adjacent to one of the walls, lined with a tap for alcoholic mixes, a rack for glasses, and several bowls of Christmas punch. Arrays of multicolored lights hung from the ceiling, casting glowing circles of color around the living room and the dancing guests. A high-tech sound system lined another wall, comprised of several massive curved speakers and an assortment of entertainment systems. Currently, it was playing a metalcore cover of 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'.

A pair of nerds were grouped around a laptop hooked up to the sound system, though they seemed to be intently staring at a text document instead of tweaking the playlist. One wore reflective sunglasses and a red-banded top hat, while the other wore a large sombrero and a flag over his back that Fox had trouble placing. If Fox could just reach those two, he could tell them to turn down the music, achieving a "mission accomplished" — but as soon as he started shouldering his way to the sound system, Scarlet impatiently grabbed his arm.

"Come on, Fox; you can change the music later. We don't have time for that now."

The male vulpine glanced longingly back at the booming speakers, powerless to change anything. It seemed as if James, Scarlet, and even the two DJs were involved in some great conspiracy to ruin his Christmas with Fara.

"Oh, hey Felix!" Scarlet called out, grabbing the attention of one of the party-goers.

The guest was a red-furred vulpine similar to Scarlet, though with noticeably unkempt facial fur. He wore a long professional-looking coat and thin, square-framed glasses on the edge of his muzzle.

"Well hello, Scarlet," he answered, turning to the approaching foxes. Eying Fox with suspicion, he asked, "Who's your friend?"

Scarlet quickly introduced the two vulpines to each other. "Fox, this is Felix Sparta, head of the Gaia Corporation. Felix, meet Fox McCloud; runs a mercenary team based in Corneria."

At this last piece of information, Felix's expression softened. "Well, Mr. McCloud, you're a mercenary? We are currently employing several operatives at the moment — including Scarlet from time-to-time — but after that last mission, I believe we may have some vacancies."

The vulpine reached into his coat pocket and produced a small piece of stationary, raising his arm to present it to Fox. "My card, if you're interested—"

Scarlet sighed, and to Felix's chagrin, forced his arm back down. "Stop networking, Felix; it's a Christmas party. Sorry, Fox; he's just desperate after his company nearly pulled a Chapter 11. Listen, have you seen Cassie anywhere? I want to introduce her to Fox."

"Fine. I believe she's out on the deck at the moment, which would be... right over there," he finished, pointing.

"On the deck?" Fox asked in disbelief, glancing out the frost-covered windows at the snow-dusted yard.

"Oh! She must be setting up the hot tub," Scarlet exclaimed. "This should be fun! Well, see you around, Felix. Hey, you should join us!"

As Scarlet lead Fox away once more, Felix quickly glanced down at his watch. "I'd love to, but I've got an interview with someone in the guest room. I'll try to join you later."

On the way to the deck, they passed a small crowd of women circled around the hearth. The center of their attention appeared to be a red panda inexplicably dressed in a white karate suit. His audience giggled, gasped, and jokingly praised the panda as he aggressively performed a series of martial arts moves.

After he finished showing off, the panda struck a ridiculous stance, panting as he scoured the room with his eyes. "KFC... _doko ni aru?_ "

"Katina Fried Chicken?" one of the girls asked, skeptically. "On Christmas?"

Fox missed the rest of the exchange, for at that moment, Scarlet pulled him out onto the deck. The porch was raised nearly a story above the ground, for the house was built on the side of a hill. The incline behind the house swept downwards into an evergreen forest, the branches of which were covered in a sparkling layer of snow. Near the edge of the wooden deck was set a white acrylic hot tub, already bubbling, steaming, and melting the snow blanketing the porch around it.

Shutting the door behind them and trapping the two in the cold, Scarlet called, "Cassie! You out here?"

The head of a female arctic wolf poked above the far edge of the hot tub. "Oh, Scarlet! I was wondering where you went." She stood up and walked out from behind the hot tub, carrying a bag of maintenance chemicals with her. She was a few inches taller than Fox, with a sleek yet well-curved figure to match her extra height, and wore a red Christmas-colored dress that made her look like a piece of red velvet cake — with cream cheese icing. _Plenty_ of cream cheese icing.

She smiled warmly when she saw Fox. "But I see you've brought a friend. And who is this handsome devil?"

"Cassie, meet Fox McCloud," Scarlet said, introducing him. "I told you I'd bring him. I figured it would be rather boring without a man."

"Oh, I'm sure we could make it just as interesting," Cassie commented. "Still, he'll make a welcome addition. As you can see, I went ahead and heated up the hot tub."

Scarlet pinched Fox's suit and tugged on it several times. "Alright, Fox; off with this. We wouldn't want to ruin your suit, now would we?"

"Wait, hold on now!" Fox demanded, breaking free from Scarlet's grasp and taking a step back. "You've been leading me around the entire house without even pausing to listen to me! Scarlet, you have to understand that I have other plans for tonight. Fara and I are trying to enjoy our dinner right now — I only came over to ask if you could turn the music down."

"Oh, is Fara your girlfriend?" Cassie asked, hopefully. "Say! You could bring her over here as well!"

But Scarlet shook her head furiously. "Afraid not, Cassie; she wouldn't approve. You haven't met her yet. Privileged and spoiled AF." Then, turning back to Fox, she asked, "Are you sure you won't spend even a little time in the tub? Fara wouldn't have to wait that long."

"No! I don't have a swimsuit with me, and I've already stayed here too long. Just turn the music down, and I'll be on my way. It was nice meeting you though, ma'am."

"Awww," Cassie lamented, disappointment twinging her features. But Scarlet was quick to step over to the lupine's side and whisper something in her ear. Cassie shared a quick glance with Scarlet before retreating back to the hot tub, while Scarlet left for the door back into the house.

"Well, Cass," Scarlet sighed, "Sorry it didn't work out as we planned. I'll show Fox to the door."

Fox waved a hand to the female lupine and gratefully turned to follow Scarlet inside. But before he could enter the house again, his ears stood to attention, catching the sound of a small metal object plopping into the water and clattering to the bottom of the tub.

"Oh no!" Cassie exclaimed, gazing helplessly into the bubbling water.

Sighing, Fox turned around to see what was wrong. "What happened?"

"I dropped my earring into the tub!" the wolfess explained, pointing into the water. "If we don't get it out, the water will corrode the metal."

"Well... I guess I could help. Here, let me." Fox stepped over to the side of the hot tub, already feeling the heat from the rising bubbles chase away the frigid winter air. Removing his jacket and rolling up his shirt sleeve, he leaned as far out over the tub as he could and plunged his arm into the warm water. He groped around in the bubbling liquid for a few seconds, but he couldn't reach the bottom.

Grunting in frustration, he stepped back from the pool and began removing his shirt and tie. "Seems like I'll actually have to hop in to get the earring. But don't worry, I'll have it out in no time."

"Thank you, Fox; you're so sweet!" Cassie exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

After removing his shoes and gripping the zipper to his pants, Fox suddenly fixed Scarlet and Cassie with suspicious looks. Something didn't seem right.

"You will get my earring, won't you, Fox?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, of course..." Fox continued stripping until he was down to his boxer briefs, heaping his clothes in a pile by the tub. Once he had removed his clothes, he self-consciously stepped over to the hot tub and climbed over the side. But as soon as his legs sank into the water, he was greeted with the feeling of pure bliss. He tried to keep the wonderful sensation from making him linger in the tub, but for the moment he could give into it.

With his back turned to Scarlet and Cassie, he stepped into the center of the large hot tub, sinking to his knees and allowing the hot water to rise to his chest. Taking a deep breath, he plunged his head beneath the surface and began feeling around the bottom of the depression for the elusive piece of jewelry. Finally, his hands closed around the tell-tale object, and his side quest was complete.

In a flash, he burst back out of the water, but his head bumped into something soft that kept him from rising. He sank back down, blinking the water from his eyes and reaching up to see what his head had collided with. His hand closed on a smooth round object that yielded as he squeezed it.

"Mmm, Fox, I never knew you were so forward," Scarlet purred.

With the water still clearing from his eyes, he looked up, and was greeted with the luscious red and white figures of Scarlet and Cassie, standing in the hot tub in front of him.

"Look, Fox; Christmas colors!" Cassie exclaimed, throwing an arm around Scarlet's bare shoulders.

"Gah!" Fox choked, removing his hand from Scarlet's chest and splashing backwards in the tub. "Girls, what are you doing!? Why aren't you wearing tops!?"

Scarlet chuckled, giving Cassie a friendly squeeze. "Silly Fox; it's because they wouldn't match with our bottom pieces."

Fox looked down. "What bottom pie—"

In an instant, his face turned redder than Scarlet's velvet pelt. Jumping up, he grabbed the ladies' shoulders and forced them to take a seat. "Get down!" he hissed. "Do you want people to see!?"

Laughing hysterically, Scarlet and Cassie gave into Fox and sat down on the hot tub's seat ledge — though they grabbed his arms and pulled him down with them. Trapped between the two seated canids, Fox crossed his arms to avoid brushing against their sides. The women wouldn't let him escape contact, however, as they each threw an arm around his shoulders. Though the foaming water now rose to their waists, their chests still remained above the water — too high for Fox's comfort.

The vulpine glared angrily at Scarlet. "You planned all of this, didn't you? The music, the hot tub, the earring? It was all one big dirty trap!"

Scarlet rolled over onto her side to face Fox, laying her arm across her leg and returning his glare with a playful smile. "Aw, come on, Fox. Admit it; you're glad you got in with us."

Fighting a losing battle to keep his eyes on Scarlet's face, Fox warned, "But there are guests inside the house! They're bound to see us!"

"Ah, they're all good friends," Cassie assured him, dismissing his worries. Then, as the red panda from earlier passed by a window, she pointed and waved at him. "See? He's a _great_ friend. Can't remember his name, though."

The martial artist paused by the window and returned the wave, grinning as he held up a box of fried chicken. He continued on past the window, not giving the naked canids a second thought, but in a flash he was back again, plastering his face against the frosted glass and gawking at the women in the tub.

As Scarlet and Cassie giggled at the panda's reaction, Fox let himself sink down into the hot tub in shame. "Seriously, girls, this is getting out of hand. I only meant to be here for a minute, and Fara's going to start wondering where I — oooh!"

Cassie had crossed her legs underneath her and started rubbing Fox's bare back and shoulders with her soft paws. "Looks like Mr. Foxie needs to loosen up. You know, always having tense muscles is bad for your health. Let me relax those muscles a bit."

"Enough!" Fox exclaimed, jumping up from his seat and sending torrents of water from his chest. "I'm sorry, but I have to be going, ladies. I have a date with Fara I need to get back to!"

To his dismay, Scarlet leaped up as well, strategically positioning herself between Fox and the house. "You're not getting out of this one, Fox. You'll have to go through me!"

"Scarlet, stay down, please!" Fox begged, trying to force the vixen below the water again.

"Uh-uh! Not unless you get back in with us. Cassie, give me a hand here. Operation hot tub is still incomplete!"

To Fox's surprise, the lupine stood up behind him as well, clapping her wet body tightly against his back and wrapping her arms firmly around his waist. Tugging him backwards, she crooned, "Come on, Fox; back in you go."

Increasing Fox's horror even further, Scarlet threw her full weight against his torso. His eyes bulged and his throat emitted a high-pitched whine as her voluptuous breasts compressed against his chest. Fox was now sandwiched between the two women, helpless to escape. Still, he struggled against them and refused to sit back down, grasping at any part of Scarlet's body he could to force her off of him.

"FOX JAMES MCCLOUD!?"

All three canids froze in fear, hopelessly entangled in each other's limbs. Turning the whole sandwich of bodies sideways so he could see around Scarlet, Fox looked at the newcomer.

James stood just outside the door to the deck, holding a large stack of boxes in his arms. "Remember to have plenty of fun, son!"

Fox heaved a massive sigh of relief; it had only been his father. He didn't know what he would have done if it had been—

At that moment, Fara stumbled out onto the deck, covered in confetti, streamers, and a Santa hat. When she saw Fox pressed against the other two women, her face balked in pure horror.

Fox felt his stomach drop again, realizing he was currently grasping Scarlet's shapely backside, previously in the hopes of forcing her back into the tub.

One by one, Fara flung the streamers and clumps of confetti from her dress, finally ending with the Santa hat. "What in the hell are you doing, Fox!?"

Taking his arms from around Scarlet, he pleaded, "Fara, listen to me—"

"I was waiting to eat until you got back, but by the time the food got cold, I thought you were up to something suspicious. You made me come all the way over here and walk through that nightmarish house to get to you! My ears were blasted with that god-awful music, I got confetti and silly string sprayed all over my dress, and some shady creep dressed in a Santa outfit tried to sell me some guns from the black market! And you know what topped it all off? I finally make it through that limbo of a party and find you in a... in a... an _orgy_!"

"I can explain everything, Fara, just let me—"

"No sir!" Fara shouted, flying into a fit of rage. "I can't believe you, Fox! You invite me over to your father's house to spend a few nights with me, and instead I find you in the arms of two other women! And why you chose that-that _slut_ over me, I'll never know. Well, if you'd rather spend your Christmas in the arms of that woman, then fine! Have it your way!"

Fara raised her nose in the air and stamped off into the house, leaving Fox, Scarlet, and Cassie alone in the pool.

Fox stood there for a full minute, silently staring with his mouth open where Fara had just been standing. Hesitantly, Scarlet ventured, "So... more time in the hot tub, right?"

Slowly, Fox rotated his head to face Scarlet. For several seconds, he fixed her with his horrified blank stare. Then, in a flurry of movement, he wrenched free from the prison that was Scarlet and Cassie, and dove for the edge of the hot tub. He slipped on the bottom of the acrylic pool, causing him to sprawl across the wall of the hot tub. Frantically, he scrambled to crawl over the edge, but Scarlet wasn't prepared to let him go without a fight. She flung herself across the tub, grabbing onto Fox's underwear before he could slip away. As he flipped over the edge of the hot tub, Scarlet stubbornly held onto his briefs, causing them to slip off as Fox landed on the porch and crawled away. Like a wild animal, he scurried on all fours to the edge of the deck before he mounted the railing and leaped off, landing in the snow below and disappearing into the woods behind Cassie's house.

Rising to her feet and waving Fox's underwear, Scarlet called, "Wait, Fox! You'll catch pneumonia and freeze to death out there!" But when no answer came back from the forest of evergreens, she sighed and sat back down in the warm tub, crossing her legs.

Crossing her arms and pouting, she huffed, "Party-pooper."

Turning back to face the house, Scarlet and Cassie noticed the red panda from before, sitting on the seat ledge across from them. He grinned.

 _"Oppai!"_

* * *

 _K.S. REYNARD'S AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

 _This installment was written almost entirely by Elarix, with a few mild revisions on my part. The reverse is true with the first chapter. He commented that he was getting the better end of the deal by writing this part of the story, but I was the one who suggested that he write in the first place. The final installment is an even split between the two of us.  
_

 _ELARIX'S AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

 _If anyone likes heavier music, or is just interested in this Easter egg, the first song played at Cassie's party was "Bounce" by System of a Down, and the metalcore cover of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is a collaboration by Eskimo Callboy, We Butter the Bread with Butter, and a few other bands signed to Redfield Records. Either song is pretty head-bangeable._


	3. Part 3

Having struck out twice with Fara, Fox sprinted back to his father's home through the thick woods that separated James's property from Cassie's. The cold winter air chilled him through his wet fur; and thanks to his panicked rush to escape from Scarlet and Cassie's hot tub, his clothes were still on the deck back at the wolfess' house.

" _I have to explain this to her! I was set up!"_ Fox thought, holding his head with his hands while he tried to suppress the feeling of frostbite creeping into his naked feet. As he ran through the woods, hoping that no one would see him, the formerly faint snow shower transitioned into a heavier winter mix. Fox could not think of a more perfect time to get intimate with Fara back at the house, but after she walked out on Cassie's porch and found him in a hot tub with Scarlet and her friend, that idea went out the window and was smashed into pieces on the ground below.

Upon reaching the front door, Fox grabbed the handle and pulled, only to find that Fara had returned to the house before him and locked him out. With his freezing, wet fur chilling him to the bone, he pounded on the door and yelled, "Fara! Open up! I'm sorry! I can explain everything!"

One…two…three seconds passed, and no response came. Terrified that he would — as Scarlet warned him — catch pneumonia and end up in the hospital all because of a horrible misunderstanding, he pressed the doorbell over ten times. Still, no one came to the door. Fox remembered seeing his father at Cassie's party (for some reason that he could not understand) and figured that he would be the next person to arrive at the house. Looking over his naked figure and cringing, he turned red at the mere thought of his father walking up to the house and seeing him in this state. Still, he knew that James had a spare house key and could open the door for him, preventing him from freezing to death or ending up in the ER for acute hypothermia.

Five minutes passed. Fox curled up in a ball on the ground outside the door, doing everything in his completely powerless state to keep himself from succumbing to the cold. For a moment, he considered running back to Cassie's house and jumping back into her hot tub merely to give himself some kind of warmth. He figured that if Fara already had no intention of letting him into the house, it would be to his advantage to return to the scene of his recent humiliation. He rose to his feet and shook as an icy blast of wind whisked through his fur, now covered in small icicles.

Then, the sound of boots crunching the snow underfoot entered his ears. A moment later, James wandered up the pathway to the front door, then stopped and cocked a curious eyebrow when he saw Fox standing in front of the door sans clothing.

"I take it Fara didn't find the hot tub very amusing," he observed with a chuckle.

"Shut up, Dad," Fox snapped. "Can you open the door? Fara locked me out of the house, and I'm starting to feel sick."

"Oh crap — I didn't know you'd been out here for that long. Here, let me help you out." He sprinted up to the door and inserted his key, then turned it in the lock and shoved it open for Fox. Without hesitation, Fox sprinted into the living room and curled up by the fireplace, ignoring the need for clothing for the moment. While the fire began melting the ice from his fur, James stepped into the house and snatched a blanket off of the largest couch in the living room. Draping it over Fox's shoulders, he commented, "I brought your clothes back. I figured you would need them."

Fox looked over his shoulder at his father. "What were you doing there, anyway? And what took you so long to get back?"

James flashed him a sly grin. "Well, Scarlet and Cassie still had the hot tub open, so…"

"Are you serious, Dad?"

"Of course. If you could join then, why not me too?"

"Because you're twenty years older than they are."

James swiped his hand through the air and scoffed, "Pfft. Age doesn't mean anything. I'm going on a date this Friday with that vixen who sat next to me at the concert, and she's barely out of college.

A sick feeling crept into Fox's stomach. "That…that's disgusting!"

"Say what you will, but young vixens love a wizened old man with a good pension plan and shall we say…experience."

A horrifying cringe crossed Fox's muzzle at the mere thought of his father's words.

In an attempt to explain himself a bit more effectively, James corrected, "Well, that wasn't exactly the kind of 'experience' I was talking about, but I guess I could include that, too."

"You worry me sometimes, Dad," Fox replied. "How did you ever end up marrying someone like Mom? I don't see how someone like her could go for a guy who says things like…well, that!"

The elder vulpine let out a quiet laugh and explained, "What you don't realize is that your mom might as well have been Scarlet's previous incarnation, at least until you were born. She mellowed out after the realities of raising you kicked in."

"I have a hard time believing that."

"Well, it's the truth. Oh believe me, I've got some photos and videos of her from when we were newlyweds. Trust me — they are not appropriate for kids." He grinned, suddenly, getting a faraway look on his face. "Or adults, for that matter."

While Fox struggled to picture his mother acting anything like Scarlet, the door at the top of the stairs opened, and Fara stepped out. Without hesitation, Fox blurted out, "Fara! I'm so sorry!"

James gave his son a knowing look and started walking towards his bedroom after dropping Fox's clothes next to him by the fireplace. "I'll leave you two to work this out."

Fara placed her hands on her hips and jogged down the stairs as James disappeared into his bedroom. Stepping into the living room, the fennec shouted, "I can't believe you would do something like this, Fox!"

"It's because I was set up!" Fox insisted, standing up to face Fara with the living room blanket acting as his only clothing.

"Well, you sure took advantage of that 'set-up.' Am I not good enough for you or something?"

Horrified, Fox declared, "No! You're more than enough for me!"

"Of course you'd say that now," the fennec sneered.

"Fara, please! Hear me out! Don't leave me to sleep out here! The hot tub wasn't my idea! I swear!"

Fara paused for thought, then breathed an angry sigh. "Okay, hotshot. I won't lock you out of our bedroom tonight, but I want _the truth_." She then pointed an accusing finger at him and narrowed her eyes.

Feeling like he had narrowly averted a catastrophe, Fox took a deep breath, picked up his clothes, and followed Fara back towards the stairs. Anger laced Fara's entire person — even the way she walked hinted at the rage she felt after finding Fox in the middle of what she believed was an orgy with Scarlet and Cassie. Reaching their shared bedroom, Fara stepped inside and locked the door after Fox followed her in, then snatched a nightgown out of her suitcase and walked into the nearby bathroom to put it on. A minute later, she re-entered the bedroom in the thin, white, shin-length garment that revealed the outline of her figure by the light of the cloud-obscured moon outside. However, as beautiful as he thought the gown looked on her, Fox would have preferred her to undress completely. Pulling the bedsheets forward, Fara slipped into bed and looked at Fox disapprovingly.

Avoiding eye contact with Fara, Fox joined her and pulled the sheets over his body. Complete silence pervaded the house – likely because Cassie had finally come to the realization that her music was too loud. Fox slid over in bed and attempted to nuzzle Fara, but she rejected him and rolled onto her side, facing away from him. In a salty voice, she demanded, "So, tell me how you ended up in a hot tub with two naked women. Good luck making up something that I'll actually believe."

"Fara, I'm telling you, it was a set-up!" Fox replied. "Cassie told me that she dropped a piece of jewelry in the hot tub and begged me to help her get it out before the water corroded it. So, I got in and fished around for it, but when I went under to pick up her earring, she and Scarlet jumped in after me and kept me from getting out. I tried fighting my way past them, but they were too determined to stop me."

"Oh really?" Fara mocked. "You looked like you were getting pretty friendly with Scarlet's ass when I found you."

"I…I was trying to push her out of the way so I could get out!"

"You're not a good liar, Fox," Fara replied. "Keep trying – you're never going to convince me otherwise with crap like that."

Desperation in his voice, Fox pleaded, "Fara…have I ever been unfaithful to you? Have I ever put anything ahead of you since we started dating?"

"Not that I'm aware of. But after tonight, I'm starting to question that."

Fox groaned pitiably and pawed at Fara's back. Instead of the gentle murmur that his touch usually incited, Fara responded with a warning growl coupled with the fur on her back standing up. Fox immediately retracted his hand and apologized. "I'm so sorry, Fara. It's my fault for getting sucked into the party. This never would have happened if I had just turned around and called the cops on them for making all that noise. Is there _anything_ I can do to make you understand? I swear that the hot tub wasn't my idea."

Fara let out a long, drawn out sigh. "Fox, I've had several boyfriends cheat on me before. Every time I found out what they did, they tried to rationalize it away or make it disappear. As hard of a time I have believing your story, I love you too much to dump you because of what you did. But it hurts me so much. I'm terrified that you'll do something like this again."

"I promise that I won't," Fox declared. "But you have to understand that accidents happen. This was all a huge misunderstanding. I would never cheat on you."

Fara slowly turned over and looked into Fox's eyes. "As tough as it is to do, I'm going to trust you on that. Now, I need some sleep. This evening has been horrible, and I'm glad it's finally over."

Deciding to push his luck, Fox suggested, "You know, there is something we can do that might make up for what happened earlier…"

"No, Fox," Fara sighed, cutting him off. "I'm too tired for that. Maybe tomorrow, if Scarlet doesn't ruin Christmas _Day_ , too." Turning away from her mate, she added, "But I am excited to see that surprise present you said you were going to buy me."

Despite his offer for sex being refused, he felt excited inside. Inside the tiny, wrapped box that he had placed under the Christmas tree earlier was a spectacular diamond ring that he knew Fara would salivate over. He hoped with every fiber of his being that Scarlet would not interfere with the timing of his proposal in the morning, but he had a feeling that if he voiced his concerns to his father, the red menace would be pacified.

" _This had better go well tomorrow,"_ Fox thought. _"If it doesn't, Fara might start having second thoughts about me. Well, third thoughts about me, after Cassie and Scarlet's stupid trap!"_

Upset about Scarlet's behavior over the course of the evening, Fox turned on his side and closed his eyes. At least Scarlet would not humiliate him in his dreams – he hoped. As his breathing slowed and the warmth of the sheets dulled the sensation of his cold, soaked fur, he heard the sound of the front door opening and a set of footsteps entering the house. From their pacing and sound, he recognized the repetitive clapping of Scarlet's boots on the hardwood entry floor. As the footsteps padded up the stairs leading to the second story, he cringed and hoped that the party had worn Scarlet down enough for her to crawl into bed and fall asleep immediately.

He listened as Scarlet walked past his door and stepped into her bedroom next to his. The door clicked shut. Then, the sound of a zipper being undone filtered through the walls along with a creak from Scarlet's bed. _"Yes! Thank you, Scarlet! Please, just go to sleep!"_ he thought.

For five seconds, no further sounds came from Scarlet's room. Then, an electronic noise broke the silence.

 _"VVVVVVVVV"_

"Mmm… Fox, what's that noise?" Fara murmured, her voice masked by her own drowsiness.

Fox hesitated and listened to the sound. "I have no idea."

Ears erect, he focused on the sound, then flinched when it suddenly became more muffled than before. At that moment, the exact nature of the noise dawned on him.

" _That's disgusting!"_

Confirming his suspicions that the sound was coming from an adult toy, a quiet moan escaped from Scarlet's room. For the first time, Fox started to agree with Fara about the venue for Christmas. It would have been a better idea to spend the holiday at the Phoenix family's manor, even though he never enjoyed visiting with her parents. Still, anything would have been better than having to listen to Scarlet pleasure herself through the paper-thin walls of his father's house.

More erotic noises tortured his ears. As the seconds ticked by, her moans became louder and more brash, until she gasped and blurted out, "Oh yeah!"

Despite his best efforts, Fox could not help but picture what was happening in the next room. Even more disturbingly, he realized that it turned him on. Next to him in bed, Fara groaned and covered her oversized ears, grinding her teeth in anger as the vibration in the next room faded into silence.

At last, Scarlet finished and put her toy away.

Not.

To Fox and Fara's horror, the obnoxious and disgusting vibration began again. Once more, both foxes were forced to listen as Scarlet let loose with her lascivious desires until her orgasmic yelps reached a second climax. Trying and failing to block out the sound of the lustful vixen, Fara begged her mate, "Fox, _please_ do something about her! I can't stand this anymore! Get out of bed and break her door down if that's what it takes!"

"I can't knock on her door – I'm naked," Fox replied.

"Put some clothes on, then!" Fara shouted. "You know what? I'm tempted to take this gown off and get you to help me make so much noise that _she_ won't be able to sleep tonight!"

Fox's eyes widened. "Um…yes, please."

"Ugh…but I'm so tired," the fennec whined. "I don't have the energy for it."

Disappointed, Fox repositioned his pillow and sighed. To his relief, the noise from Scarlet's room seemed to have stopped.

Until the vibration started again.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" Fox snapped.

For a moment, Fara shifted beneath the sheets. Then, she threw them off and leaped out of bed as if she had been struck by lightning. Rage in her eyes and her fists clenched, she ran up to the wall separating their room from Scarlet's and unleashed her anger on it. Her fist punched through the drywall, almost penetrating into Scarlet's side of the wall.

"Shut up! We're trying to sleep in here!" Fara screamed, pushing her vocal chords to their limits.

From the room on the first floor directly beneath Scarlet's, James' muffled voice said, "Don't stop now, baby! Who's your daddy!?"

Momentarily, the vibrating sound from Scarlet's room stopped. Her bed creaked as she climbed off of it and walked up to the wall across from Fara. With an obviously insincere voice, she purred, "Oh, sorry about that. It's only 10:30, so I figured you wouldn't have a problem with me having a little fun."

"Listen, bitch," Fara snarled, "If I hear you turn that thing on again, I swear I will smash through this wall and throw it out the window. Do you hear me?"

Scarlet sighed. "Fine. Be that way. I'll just curl up in bed with my copy of Fox Fyvve's _Rogue Soul_ and be quiet."

"You read that crap? I figured you would. _One Life Away_ by Mercfox is much better."

From behind her, Fox suggested, "No – _The Oasis_ is the one you should be reading."

Fara turned around and stared at Fox. "Why would I read _that?_ "

"Well, you'd like it because Scarlet dies at the end," Fox replied.

"Hey! Don't spoil it!" Scarlet yelped, throwing herself on her bed and clapping her paws over her ears. "La-la-la-la-la!"

"I'm afraid I'd much rather read _The Hunting Party_ ," Fara shot back, looking over her shoulder at Fox.

Fox blinked. "What, the one named after the Bring Me the Park album? Why's that?"

"Because you're _dead_ the entire time!"

Steaming with anger, Fara turned away from the broken fourth wall and reclaimed her spot in bed next to Fox. Not looking at her fiancée, she huffed, "Someone had to shut her up."

"Thank you," Fox breathed. "I'm going to talk to my dad about her in the morning. I'm not letting her ruin tomorrow, too."

Fara rolled over and smiled at Fox. "Thank you. _Please_ do that."

* * *

 _-_ § _-_

* * *

The next morning, Fox and Fara were completely drained from the past day's events. The pair of vulpines were tired from the drive to James' house, the concert, dinner, and unplanned party — yet the icing on the cake was definitely Scarlet keeping them awake all hours of the night. Regardless, when the first rays of morning beamed over the trees and lit the curtains gold, Fox was up and ready for round two. The events of last night were in the past, and today was a new day. No holding back; it was time to reveal his trump card.

Hopping out of bed, Fox tiptoed over to the closet and picked through the rack of coat-hangers and clothes. Whipping out a white, fluffy robe from the closet, he deftly wrapped it around his torso and hurried back over to the bed. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on Fara's shoulder and shook it.

"Fara?" he whispered. "Fara, baby, wake up!"

"Hmm, wha?" Fara groaned, flipping over onto her back. As soon as she did so, Fox spared all formalities and greeted her with a big kiss. In her early morning stupor, Fara could do little more than return the intimate gesture, all thoughts of the past night temporarily gone.

When Fox eventually pulled away, he said, "Merry Christmas, Fara."

Fara arched her back and stretched, groaning in the process. "Merry Christmas, Fox. But don't you think it's a bit too early for—"

"Don't you remember? Presents?"

Fara's ears twitched. "Presents?"

"Waiting under a nice big Christmas tree downstairs," Fox continued, trying to entice her further. "Now do I have your attention?"

Tossing the covers off, Fara sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed. She continued rubbing the sleep from her eyes, giving Fox the chance to ogle her thin lace underwear beneath her translucent gown. With a family as well-to-do as hers, she could afford an entire wardrobe of the stuff, and most likely had one at that. Still, Fox confined his mind to the task at hand. One wrong move could ruin the whole day.

Gesturing for Fara to follow, he stepped out of the room and made for the stairs, but turned around when he noticed his mate hesitating. Fara halted in their room's doorway, cautiously poking her head out. She looked up and down the hallway with scrutinizing eyes.

"What's wrong?" Fox nervously asked.

"Nothing," Fara dismissed him. "But... are you sure _you-know-who_ is nowhere around?"

Fox glanced at Scarlet's door, which — to his relief — remained closed. With any luck, she had a hangover from spiked Christmas punch, and was just as tired as they were.

Smiling confidently, Fox assured Fara, "She won't be bothering us anytime soon. Now come on! Hurry!"

Fox rushed down the stairs, with Fara trailing a few steps behind him. She laughed, "What's the hurry, Fox? The presents aren't going to get up and walk away, are they?"

Stopping next to the living room Christmas tree, Fox answered, "No, it's just I've been waiting a long time for this. I'm sure you'll look back on this Christmas years from now and remember it as a good one — the best, even!"

"Well, I don't know about that," Fara mused. Scanning the presents, she asked, "Which do we open first?"

Beneath the brightly-decorated evergreen tree sat a pile of presents, mostly wrapped in red, white, and green wrapping paper. No two boxes were the same size; one was so large it couldn't fit beneath the tree's needles, while the smallest could easily fit into the palm of Fara's hand — and it was this small one that Fox focused in on.

Reaching beneath the tree, he withdrew the small red-wrapped box and presented it to Fara, grinning from ear to ear. "Try this one. I have a good feeling about it..."

Fara giggled as she accepted the present, struggling to untie the small bow and tear the wrapping paper off. When she removed the paper, she let it fall to the floor, revealing a black velvet box in her hands.

The fennec gaped at the case. "Fox, is this..."

Fox gently took the case from her, popping it open to reveal a small silver ring studded with a single, sparkling diamond. Taking a deep breath, he said, "You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment, and all the plans I made to make it perfect. Fara, will you marry—"

"Aren't you going to open me too, Fox?" the largest of the presents said.

Fox halted mid-sentence, looking at the box between him and Fara. "Eh?"

The top of the present flew off the box, revealing one of Scarlet's slender red legs. After kicking the top off, the vixen poked her other leg out, grabbed onto the sides of the box, and lifted herself out. Standing up, she clasped her hands behind her back and presented herself to Fox.

Both Fox and Fara froze in the same positions they had been in a few seconds ago, still holding the engagement ring and box. Scarlet now stood between them and the Christmas tree, all but naked. Still, she was dressed for the occasion, wearing a scanty outfit made entirely from thin red ribbon. The shiny plastic criss-crossed loosely around her arms, legs, chest, and waist. Just by the skin of its teeth did it manage to cover the essentials, with only two of the many strands looping between her legs and around her breasts. Several bows had even been tied into the tangle of ribbon; one behind her back, one around her tail, and one on her hip, each begging to be undone.

"Well Fox; like what you see?"

Already, Fox felt his mouth watering at the sight. But a sharp blow to his paw sent his engagement ring clattering to the floor, box and all. Quickly turning back to Fara, Fox was horrified to see her infuriated expression.

Clenching her teeth, she fumed, "This is _it_! That's the last straw, Fox!"

"Fara?" Fox whimpered in an uncharacteristic high-pitched voice.

"I'm leaving!"

With a swish of her nightgown, Fara turned and climbed up the stairs, leaving Fox to gape and clutch at the air where the engagement ring use to be. After she disappeared into their room, the sound of Fara furiously packing reached the poor vulpine's ears. Apparently, she meant it.

"Hey Fox!" Scarlet called, competing for his attention.

Finally turning back to Scarlet, Fox was greeted with the sight of the vixen lying belly down on the couch, kicking her legs up behind her and playfully swishing the bow on her tail.

"Paint me like one of your French vixens!"

A door slammed above them, signaling Fox's ship was about to leave. Peeling his eyes away from Scarlet's ribbon-bound rear, he rushed to the bottom of the stairs in time to meet Fara on her way down. Somehow, she had managed to change and pack faster than any other time they needed to get to an important event.

Falling on his knees at the foot of the stairs, he pleaded with Fara at a lightning fast pace, "Fara, please, don't go! I swear honest to God I had _no_ idea Scarlet was waiting for us! Why would I purposefully ruin the most important moment of our lives with something like this! I can't control the way Scarlet acts or who my father invites over! It's his house! I—"

But Fara pointed her nose in the air and blew past him, flinging the door wide open and determinedly stamping through it. Fox hobbled over to the open doorway on his knees, watching her go. Soon, he was joined by the ribbon-clad Scarlet, who crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame, observing the spectacle as well.

Icily ignoring Fox's pleading expression, Fara tossed her suitcase into the back of her sedan, momentarily climbing into the driver's seat. Not sparing her mate a single glance, she began backing out of the driveway.

It was at this point that James chose to make his appearance. Dressed in a red and white Santa costume, complete with a curly beard, he jumped between Fox and Fara. "Ho ho ho! So, Fox; how'd you like your Christmas present?"

When he got no response from either of the two, he followed their lines of sight out the door. The three foxes — one dressed in a robe and on his knees, the second naked and decorated with ribbons, and the third wearing a Santa costume — stared silently as Fara careened off of the driveway and onto James' front lawn, deliberately bowling over his mailbox in the process. Then, once Fara was on the street, she revved up the engine and pulled out of their cul-de-sac, tires screeching against the pavement. With an open mouth, Fox watched helplessly as the love of his life became a small black speck down the street, until she was gone from sight entirely.

"Oh," James said, disappointment tinging his voice. Then, silently, he slipped away, leaving Fox and Scarlet looking out the front door.

After a full five minutes of staring at the empty street, Fox struggled to his feet and left the foyer, leaving a bewildered Scarlet to close the door. Stopping next to the Christmas tree, he bent down and scooped up his engagement ring — thousands of dollars, rendered meaningless and worthless. His entire holiday, up in flames. And any hope he had with spending his future with Fara, gone.

Stupefied, he looked up from the diamond ring and stared around the interior of the house, as if he didn't recognize any of it. Was this really his father's house? Was that the table he and Fara had recently had dinner on? Was... was this what people called a Christmas tree? And those awful-looking socks above the fireplace... stockings?

For over a minute, time seemed to freeze. The opened box that contained Fara's engagement ring still hung in his trembling hand, except that now, there was no Fara to present it to. He felt like tears would spring from his eyes at any given moment, but his shock prevented them from flowing. Closing the tiny box, he placed it on the coffee table in the middle of James's living room. Then, he glared at the source of all his Christmas woes – Scarlet. The ridiculousness of her skimpy ribbon outfit made the sudden turn of events seem even more insulting. Adding mockery to injury, the knowledge that his father had conspired to put her outfit together and hide her in a box under the Christmas tree horrified him.

A smile graced Scarlet's lips, but when Fox stared at her with a horrified, furious expression that seemed to threaten violence towards her, her ears and tail drooped. Legitimate sorrow replaced her glee. She knew beforehand that her actions could have rubbed Fox the wrong way, but for the most part, she simply wanted to add more spontaneity and 'fun' to the holiday – her idea of fun, at least.

She had no time to prepare herself for Fox's verbal assault as his face contorted into a venomous scowl, dripping with malevolent disgust. "Was this all part of a plan? Were you and my dad in cahoots to keep me from proposing to Fara?"

"No, Fox," Scarlet apologized, holding up one of her hands. "We were trying to get you two to lighten up. Ever since you got here, you've been so uptight. You can't have any fun like that."

Fox pointed his finger at the red vixen and snapped, "We were uptight because of _you_! This was going to be a great Christmas! My dad would have finally had a chance to get to know Fara without her parents being around, and Fara and I would have had a romantic, relaxing time here. But noooo – _you_ had to come along and screw up everything – in both senses of the word!" He clutched his head and continued, "I can't believe my dad would let you stay here when I explicitly told him that I wanted to have a quiet, private Christmas with Fara!"

"There wasn't room for me to stay at Cassie's house after the party," Scarlet replied, attempting to defend her cause. "I would have had to sleep on the floor!"

"That's a pile of crap," Fox growled. "You would have shared a bed with one of the guys at the party in a heartbeat, or maybe one of the girls. I don't know if you roll that way."

Scarlet paused and tapped her chin with her finger, looking at the ceiling. "Not really, but I'm open to trying things."

Perturbed that the conversation had somehow managed to become suggestive, Fox collected himself and said, "I spent a year trying to get my relationship with Fara to the point where I could propose to her. I was this close to doing it, and then you came along and destroyed our entire relationship in two days! What is wrong with you?"

"I was just trying to have a little fun," Scarlet huffed. "I guess that's something you and Miss Corporate Royalty don't understand."

Pointing at Scarlet's ribbon outfit, Fox replied, "Scarlet, _that_ 's not my idea of 'fun.'"

"It's not? Are you telling me you're not going to open your present?" She suggestively picked at the end of one of her ribbons and took a sultry step towards Fox.

Clenching his fists, Fox shouted, "No!"

Scarlet stopped moving towards Fox and sighed. She lowered her head, suddenly feeling shame for the first time since she – or anyone else who knew her – could remember. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your Christmas. Is there anything I can do to make it better for you? I mean that. If I help you get Fara back, will you let me off the hook?"

Fox's immediate response would have been to snap back at her, but when he recognized the legitimate sadness on Scarlet's face and the sincerity of her offer, he refrained. For a moment, he paused and considered his response, then replied, "I don't think there's much that I can do at this point, Scarlet. You're probably the only person who can talk some sense into her. If you could call her, that would be great."

Scarlet sighed. Truth be told, she disliked Fara and wondered what Fox saw in her. Nevertheless, she realized the pain and frustration that she had been responsible for. Despite her disdain for the fennec, she knew that trying to repair the burnt bridge between her and Fox was the right thing to do. However, it didn't mean that she would enjoy it.

"I've got some ideas for how you can get her back," she suggested, her voice uncertain.

Fox returned a stoic expression. "I hope so."

Picking at an itchy ribbon wrapped around her chest, Scarlet uneasily asked Fox, "Soooo...can you give me her number so I can try to convince her to come back to you? Please, not today though."

Fox shook his head. "Wait for tomorrow. I think she'll take it better if you call her then."

"I agree," Scarlet murmured. Looking out the window, she stared at the piles of snow covering the front yard and the sidewalks alongside the street at the bottom of the driveway. Every now and then, a car or two would lazily motor past the house; but with most people at home with their families and loved ones, a palpable quietness hung over the lonely cul-de-sac.

While Scarlet gazed out the large living room window, Fox crossed his arms and asked, "Well, now what?"

With a twinkle in her eye, Scarlet turned to face him and pinched the white gift tag that hung from her ear. "You can unwrap your present. After everything you've had to go through this Christmas, you deserve something nice. C'mon, Foxie — this is a judgment-free zone!"

Fox bit his lip and moved to a position where he could see the driveway through the window. Fara's car was nowhere in sight, although James's smashed mailbox still lay on the sidewalk by the street. Hesitantly, he shuffled towards Scarlet with a hungry, yet guilty and uncertain look in his eyes. Digging his claws into the top of Scarlet's ribbons, he whispered, "Don't tell Fara."

The vixen giggled and raised a finger to her lips. "I won't say a word."

Even though he still held some anger towards Scarlet, he decided to take it out on the ribbons tied around her chest, slicing through some of them with his claws and untying the knots behind her back that held them in place. While the ribbons fell to the carpeted floor, Fox stepped back and admired his work, then set his eyes on the ribbons wrapped around her hips. As he reached for one of the knots that sat above Scarlet's right leg, he heard the sound of a door opening and froze in fear. Somehow, he knew that Fara had returned to reconcile with him, only to find her prospective mate undressing Scarlet next to the Christmas tree.

To his unspeakable relief, it was his father again. He tiptoed around the corner of the room, still dressed in his ridiculous Santa suit. Clasping a camcorder in his paw, he snuck over to an opened closet door before realizing that Fox had noticed him. "Oh, uh, don't mind me, son. I'll just be... rearranging some things in the closet. Yeah." Then, without another word, he shut himself in the closet and poked one of the door slats up to allow the camera through.

Fox's face flushed a shade of red so deep that for a second, the hue of his facial fur matched Scarlet's. He took an embarrassed step back, but Scarlet refused to have any of it. With a laugh, she lunged forward and threw her arms around Fox, drawing him into a tight embrace. "Merry Christmas, Foxie! I'm your present for the day!" Then, she planted her lips on Fox's and brought him in for a kiss that he reluctantly accepted.

When Fox's lips finally broke of Scarlet's, the vixen took the liberty of reaching for the straps on Fox's bathrobe and untying them before he realized what she was doing. With one quick move, Scarlet swept the robe — his only clothing — off his shoulders and pushed him towards the nearby living room couch. Losing his balance, he yelled, "Scarlet? What do you think you're…?"

He was cut off when he landed on the couch, only for Scarlet to jump onto his torso and press her lips against his. Giving him a quick peck, she laughed and brought her deft fingers up to tickle Fox's ears. Despite his every effort to avoid being stimulated, he could tell it was a losing battle. Taking a deep, overly suggestive breath, Scarlet sat up on Fox's chest and shook out her hair. She placed her hands on her hips, then cracked a seductive grin. "Come on, Fox — we both know what you want."

Fox found himself powerless to resist as Scarlet reached for…

" _No! No no no! That's not how it went!"_

* * *

Irate, Fox stumbled out of the pilot's seat at the front of the _Great Fox_ , his excessively large cargo plane that he intended to sell at some point in the near future. As he stepped into the cramped, tubular-shaped metal frame that housed his team's temporary crew quarters, he looked at Scarlet and the most recent addition to his mercenary team — Miyu Lynx. As usual, Scarlet wore her trademark black catsuit, complete with knee-high boots that somehow managed not to interfere with her movements. Both women sat on two small green cots on the left side of the metallic hallway, and as he stomped towards them, they smirked at him — especially Scarlet. All the while, the plane's six turbofan engines whined as the automatic piloting system set them on a course for Warton, Corneria — Scarlet's hometown. Ironically enough, it was also Fara's. Or more accurately, it had been. Sad face :(

Placing his hands on his hips, Fox looked at Scarlet and rolled his eyes, "That is _not_ what happened last Christmas. Sorry Scarlet, but despite your best efforts, Fara stuck with the program and said 'yes' to me when I proposed to her. Better luck next time."

Miyu shook her head at Scarlet and muttered, "You know, I didn't believe your story for a minute. But _none_ of that actually happened? You never crashed their Christmas concert, trapped Fox in a hot tub, or dressed up in ribbons beneath his tree?"

Fox grimaced and rubbed his face. "No, she really did do all of those things. But in the end, Fara never left the house and ended up accepting my proposal, regardless of Scarlet's antics. Thankfully, Scarlet lost the final round."

Despite the legitimacy of her account of the previous Christmas being obliterated in mere seconds, Scarlet refused to be ruffled by Fox being his usual killjoy self. The vixen laid down on her cot and looked up at Fox with a devious smile. "Hmm…well, Christmas is coming up pretty soon this year, Foxie. You'd better prepare yourself, because I promise that my gift this year will not disappoint."

* * *

 _ELARIX'S AUTHOR'S NOTE: _

_Gee, gosh and golly; I never thought this day would come. I'll start off by saying it was a pleasure writing this whole thing with KS, as I've been stalking him and his stories for about two years now. I guess you could say it was a real honor. Plus, I'm pretty grateful that I got to write all of the smexy parts; when we first outlined this story, KS bestowed upon me all the good scenes, imo, and I told him I'd definitely got the better end of the bargain. I can honestly say this is the first time I've written anything this hot. Let it be a landmark in my writing career._

 _So, I guess you could say this is my excuse for not writing a Christmas update for Misadventures, but it saved me the trouble of having to come up with an outline on my own, and I'm sure nothing I could have written would have topped this story!_

 _All right, I've got to stop here. No, I'm not trying to drag what was supposed to be a one-shot to 20k words, and KS said he wanted this published tonight, or some such nonsense. Have a merry Christmas, and don't forget the happy New Year!_

 _K.S. REYNARD'S AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

 _Man, this whole thing turned out so much better than it would have if I had tried to do it all myself, so I'm more than pleased that Elarix took me up on my offer to help write this thing. Hopefully you found it entertaining at the very least. If you liked the style of this story, check out the one it's based on (the normal_ Sierra Foxtrot, _which is best described as a bizarre mix of legitimate action/drama and offhanded comedy). And of course, Scarlet's in it._


End file.
